Air-circulating device for vehicles, heaters, and the like



March 25, 1930. 5; J. v. BOVEY AIR CIRCULATING DEVICE FbR VEHICLES; HEATERS, AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 13. 1926 Jggen or. 01/6 Patented Mar. 25, 19530 UNITED STATES PAT NT 1 OFFICE SIDNEY J. V. IBOVEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T

METALCBAFT HEATER CORPORATION, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, A CORPORA- TION OF MICHIGAN AIB-CIBCULATING DEVICE FOR VEHICLES, HEATERS, AND THE'LIKE Application filed September 1s, 1926. Serial no. 134,984. A

. This invention relates to an air circulating device which is particularly adapted for use in connection with circulating air to heaters or ventilating vehicle bodies and the like.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved form and simplified construction of an air circulating devlce.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and compact air circulating device which will occupy a minimum amount operate in conjunction with the radiator fan of space and at the same time 'will furnish a relatively large amount of air to the vehicle heater when used in connection with a heater or furnish a relatively large amount of air when used in connection with a ventilating device for vehicle bodies.

A still vfurther object of the invention is to provide a-novel and improved construction of air circulatingdevice which is adapted to an internal combustion en ine for supplying and circulatingair to a ve icle heater and the like. p

These and-other objects are accomplished by providing the construction and arrangement of the various parts in the manner here- -inafter-described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims. I Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fra entary top plan view of the conventional orm ofinternal combustion engine showing m improved air circulating device embodied .t erem,

Fig. 2 is aperspective view of my improved circulatmg device showing one ofthe' blades of the engine fan in cross section, and

Fig. 3 is a. front" erspective view showing the construction of the forward end of my 1 1 improved air circulating device with one of the fan blades shown in dotted lines.

In air circulating-devices heretofore used of the type in which the engine fan is em+ I ,ployed for supplying or'circulating of air to the vehicle heater, considerable difficulty has been experienced in furnishing the proper supply of air to the heater without the necessity of providing a relatively large and cumbersome device adjacent the engine fan and engine. The funnel type of device now generally in use does not efiiciently supply the properly forced through the funnel by reason of its shape and its position with respect to the fan blade. In the present invention 1 have provided an air circulating device which comprises a hood of a special form which is so positioned with res ect to the rotating blades of the fan so that t e required amount of air can be supplied under pressure to the vehicle heater and at the same time the amount of space occupied by-the device is reduced to a minimum.

In illustrating one form of my invention I have shown the same in connection with the conventional form of internal combustion engine 10 which is provided with the usual engine head 11 and securing bolts 12.

The engine 10 is rovided'with the usual revolving radiator an 13 which in turn is provided with fan blades 14. The engine 10 is also'provided with the usual exhaust manifold 15. The air circulating device which is in the form of a conduit or casing 18 is secured to the engine head 11 by means of straps'16 and 17. The straps 16 and 17 are secured to the casing 18 by being welded or riveted thereto and are secured tothe engine head 11 by certain of the engine head bolts 12 as is clearly shown in Fig. 1. The conduit or casing 18 is preferably made of sheet metal and is rectangular in cross section so as to occupy a minimum amount of space adjacent the side of the engine. Thecasing 18- is provided,

with relatively narrow sides 19 and 20 and flat top and bottom portions 21 and22 respecwardly toward the axis of the fan 13 so that the mouth of the casing extends substantially across the shorter edge of the fan blade 14 as clearly shown in Fig. 1. v a

From this construction it will readily be i seen that as the fan blade 14 is'passing the a mouth of the conduit or casing 18 it gathers in substantially the entire amount of the air discharged rearwardly of the fan blade and by reason of the downwardly curved portion of the top portion 21 ofthe casing. With this construction the air is forced under pressure through the c0ndu1t n such a manner that a max1mum amount of air ls'circulated through the casing with a minimum amount of space being occupied by the casing pro er.

The forward end of the casing is ositione in Close proximity with the rear e ge of the vrevolving fan blades so that the fan blades when passing-the mouth of the casing 18 will assume an angle with respect to the vertical edges 25 of the enlargedportions 23 and 27 ofabout ,as is clearly shown in Fig. 2. The rear end of the conduit or casing 18 is connected by a suitable conduit 28 to the vehicle heater,

ventilating device, or other similar devices.

The bottom 22 of the casing extends downwardly along theinclined edges 24 of the enlarged portions 23 and 27 as shown at 29 an stops short of the vertical edges 25 so as to form an opening 29 on the lower side there of adj acent the mouth through which air may Bi; grawn by reason of the action ofithe fan a es. 1

From the description it will be readily seen that by providing a conduit or casing in which the mouththereof is positioned so as to extend substantially across the. fan blades and with the upper surface of the mouth extendmg downwardly, a maximum amount of air will be forced under pressure through the conduit or casing and at the same time, by

reason ofmy improved construction a -minimum'amount of space will be utilized.

While in the above specification I have described one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice it will of course be understood that the same is capable of modification and that modification may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention as expressed in the following claims.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1; An air circulating device for vehicle heaters and the like comprising an open ended conduit having a relatively large mouthlying parallel and co-extensive with theblades of zhe fan as they assume a horizontal posi- 1on. i 1 2. An air circulating .device for vehicle heaters and the like comprisin an open endpositioned substantially "parallel wit spect to said fan blades so as to extend substantially across the length of the blades as said blades revolve past said mouth.-

4. An air circulating device .forvehicle.

heaters and the like in combination engine fan having blades thereon, compris ng a conduit havin a downwardly extendln mouth secured a j acent said fan, said mout being substantially coextensive with the lengthof said fan blades as'they pass sald mouth.

5. An air circulating device for vehicle heaters and the like in, combination with an.

engine fan having fan blades thereon, comprising a open ended conduit having an enlarged end adjacent said fan, said enlarged end having a downwardly curved to th e blades of the fan when they assume a horizontal position whereby as said fan blades and pass said end the air is forced through said I conduit.

6." An air circulating device for vehicle heaters and the like in combination with an engine having a fan,comprisin a casing secured to said engine having a ee 0 en end thereof positioned at substantially t e same horizontal level as the axial center of said I fan, the sides of said casing adjacent said fan positioned at diiferentangles with respect to said casing whereby said fan forces the air under pressure throu h saidcasin 7. An air cir'culatmg device or vehicle heaters and the like in combination with an i engine having a fan, comprising a conduit secured to said englne having an open end positioned adjacent said fan, said conduit having a portion extending inwardly and a portlon extendingdownwardly with respect s'ald fan, said downwardly extending port1on located on a radial line with respect to said fan for forcing the air through said eondult under pressure.- a

v8. An air circulating device for veh cle heaters in combination with an engine hav ng a fan journaled thereon,'comprising a casm secured to said engine and havmg an enlarge f uncovered portion formed on the forward end thereof ad acent said fan, said enlarged pgrtion having an inclined wall extending 1nwardly toward'the ivot of said fan, and an upper wall curved ownwardly with respect to said fan and having its forward ed e ex: tending horizontally and radially wit ,spect to said fan whereby as said fanlpasses the mouth ofsaid casing substantia y the entire amount of air that is chargedfrom said I fan is forced through said casing;

v 9. An air circulating 'device'forl'vehiele engine fan having blades thereon, comprising I I I- heaters and the like in combinationvwith an" an open ended conduit having an 'enlar mouth adjacent said fan, said moutlihavm an inwardly extending side and a downwar 1y extending top whereby substantialgy the entire amount of air discharged rearwardly of the fan blades as they assume a horizontal position parallel to the mouth of said conduit will be gathered into the mouth of said con? duit. In testimony whereof I-have signed my name to this specification, on this 31st day of August, A. D. 1926. l

V SIDNEY J. V. BOVEY. 

